Renaissance Gold Reports Second Quarter 2014 Results
Renaissance Gold Inc. (TSX: REN) (“RenGold” or the “Company”) reports financial results for the six months ended December 31, 2013. Details of the Company’s financial results are described in the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements (the “Financial Report”) and corresponding management discussion and analysis for the same period. These and further details on each of RenGold’s projects and activities can be found on the Company’s website at www.rengold.com and on the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com. All amounts presented are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.
Richard Bedell, President and CEO of RenGold, comments: “We have done a considerable job cutting our burn rate and focusing the Company on its core projects in Nevada and Utah. Importantly, we have a good amount of cash, a significant number of projects funded by our joint venture partners with more projects expected to be joint ventured in 2014, no debt and a very tight share structure with only 33,545,074 shares fully diluted. We have a number of good projects at work for our shareholders and have seen a definite increase in the number of companies interested in joint venturing our projects since October 2013. We are looking forward to a highly productive 2014.”
Selected financial data
The following selected financial data is derived from the Financial Report as prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.
The consolidated net loss for the six months ended December 31, 2013 was $1,201,960 (2012 - $2,119,688).
Working capital at December 31, 2013 was $3,235,335 of which $3,341,310 is cash. There are no long-term liabilities.
Total assets at December 31, 2013 are $4,662,979 of which $3,658,736 are current assets and $1,004,243 are exploration and evaluation assets, equipment and reclamation bonds.
Operations
RenGold is an exploration stage business engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties located in Nevada and Utah. On October 23, 2013, RenGold signed of a letter of intent to sell the Company’s Argentine subsidiary to its current funding partner, Atala Resources Corporation. In addition, RenGold is in the process of winding up its subsidiaries in Chile and Spain where exploration and evaluation activities have been discontinued. RenGold’s business model is to identify and secure mineral resource properties for which it seeks suitable joint venture partners. Once partners are found, an exploration and option to earn-in agreement is entered into on the property enabling the earn-in partner to obtain an interest by conducting and funding exploration on that property.
The level of the Company’s exploration expenditures are largely determined by the strength of the resource capital and commodity markets and by the status of the Company’s projects in relation to those markets and its ability to obtain funding partners and investor support for its projects. The Company anticipates there will be less capital available for exploration joint ventures in the immediate future. RenGold is therefore concentrating activities in Nevada and Utah to upgrade current projects and define significant growth potential such as demonstrated for the Everson Deposit (RenGold press release October 22, 2013). In addition, RenGold announced funding by Callinan Royalties Corp. for exploration in southern Nevada (south of 37 degrees latitude) in exchange for a royalty (RenGold press release October 24, 2013).
RenGold has six properties under exploration earn-in agreements:
| Project | Funding partner | |
| Nevada: | ||
| Gold Star
| Lynx Resources (US) Inc., a US subsidiary of Cassini Resources | |
| Golden Shears | Callinan Royalties Corp. (TSXV:CAA) | |
| Spruce Mountain | Summit Mining Exploration, Inc., a US subsidiary of Sumitomo | |
| Trinity Silver | Liberty Silver Corp. (TSX: LSL) | |
| Argentina: | ||
| Meridiano and Covadonga | Atala Resource Corporation (a Canadian private company) * |
*The Company is in the process of selling its Argentina properties – see discussion below
The highlights of activity by RenGold and its funding partners on its exploration properties during the six months ended December 31, 2013 and to February 11, 2014 (collectively “Q2”), follow in alphabetical order.
Nevada projects with funding partners:
| Gold Star | Lynx has been reviewing the results of a drill program completed in fiscal 2013 and a recently completed structural study and is considering additional drill targets. In order to maintain the property, Lynx is now required to spend a minimum of US$125,000 by April 30, 2014. | |
| Golden Shears | Effective January 13, 2014, the Company entered into a royalty agreement with Callinan whereby Callinan will fund $150,000 of exploration activity on the Golden Shears property in exchange for a 1.5% net smelter return (“NSR”) royalty. This funding is provided under the 37 Degrees South exploration alliance agreement described below. | |
| Spruce Mountain | On August 7, 2013, the Company announced the approval of a third round drill budget pursuant to the third year of an exploration earn-in agreement with Summit. The US$525,000 budget included 6,900 feet (2,104 meters) of reverse circulation (“RC”) drilling, to follow up critical targets defined by earlier drilling in 2011 and 2012 that include gold, silver and base metal mineralization. Drilling was completed in October 2013 and included 9 holes totalling 8,160 feet (2,487.2 meters) meters of RC drilling. Samples are now at the lab and final compiled results should be ready by February 2014. | |
| Trinity Silver | On November 14, 2013, Liberty Silver announced a loan facility for US$1.21 million. Metallurgical studies are continuing in preparation of a preliminary economic assessment on the oxide deposit and this will be used to generate financing for development of the oxide deposit. |
Argentina projects with funding partners:
| Atala | On October 23, 2013, the Company signed a letter of intent with Atala, to purchase AuEx Argentina S.A. (“AuEx”), a wholly owned subsidiary of RenGold in exchange for cash, stock and a NSR royalty. On signing a definitive agreement, RenGold will be issued 500,000 common shares of Atala and will be paid $20,000 in cash. On completion of Atala raising $1 million in equity, RenGold will be paid an additional $30,000 in cash. If Atala raises an additional $1 million in equity, RenGold will be paid a final $50,000 in cash. RenGold will retain a NSR royalty on all properties of 4% less any underlying NSR royalty (including governmental and underlying ownerships) to be not less than 1% or greater than 3%. The purchase of AuEx includes the Covadonga and Meridiano properties currently subject to an earn-in agreement between Atala and RenGold as well as the El Monte, Gertrudis, and La Rosita properties. Negotiations are ongoing and the Company expects to close this transaction in current fiscal year. |
Nevada properties being prepared for joint venture
During Q2, RenGold conducted reconnaissance exploration programs to prepare these projects for joint venture.
| Everson | On October 22, 2013, the Company announced the results of recent mapping and rock chip sampling that support new targets with the potential to significantly expand the Everson Deposit at the Buffalo Canyon Project, Nye County, Nevada. RenGold acquired the Everson Deposit when it became open to staking in late 2012. Data from 40 historical RC drill holes indicate the potential for 350,000 ounces of gold contained in mineralized material at the Everson Deposit. The gold-bearing zone estimated from drilling and trench data consists of 25,000,000 to 26,000,000 tons at a grade from 0.012 to 0.013 ounces per ton (0.373 to 0.404 grams per ton) in an area 500 meters by 600 meters (about 1,640 by 1,970 feet). The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature, and as there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource it is uncertain if future exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. | |
| Sinter | On August 14, 2013, the Company announced trench sampling and drilling results that confirm the presence of a shallow zone of gold-silver mineralization. The Sinter property lies in the northern part of the Velvet District near other shallow epithermal gold prospects at RenGold’s Bunce property and at the historic Velvet Mine, a gold-silver producer in the early 1900’s. RenGold consolidated the Sinter property by leasing a mile-square private section from Newmont USA Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corp. in 2010. This section adjoins 33 claims controlled by lease and staking, all of which combined comprise a total area of approximately 1,190 acres (480 hectares). |
Work has continued on data compilation and target definition at the Company’s projects being prepared for joint venture. These projects include the Arabia, Big Gossan, Bunce, Fireball Ridge, Fourth of July, JPW, King Solomon, Leonid, Reef, Rose Mine, Whistler, Wildcat, and Wood Hills South projects.
Generative
Generative exploration is the core of RenGold’s business. Property submittal evaluations and generative programs in Nevada and Utah are ongoing but the current focus is on upgrading projects with quality drill intercepts. RenGold’s technical team employs leading edge exploration techniques and technology for ore deposit vectoring including: proprietary remote sensing, spatial probability modeling and multivariate statistical analysis. Data is combined with field geology and alteration mineralogy for the purpose of target selection, property acquisition and joint venture development.
| 37 Degrees South | On October 22, 2013, the Company entered into an exploration alliance agreement with Callinan. The agreement is for an initial three year term and requires that Callinan fund $150,000 of generative exploration during the first year of the agreement (received) with the option to fund up to $100,000 in each of the two subsequent years. | |
|
| In return for such funding, RenGold will grant Callinan the option to receive a 0.5% NSR royalty on any new projects acquired as a result of the generative exploration work. In addition, Callinan has the option of funding another $150,000 on any of the new projects in exchange for an additional 1.0% (1.5% total) NSR royalty. If RenGold proposes that additional value can be generated after spending $150,000, Callinan may elect to contribute subsequent funding with RenGold on an equally shared basis with no change to Callinan's royalty interest. | |
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| RenGold may also propose exploration on its existing mineral properties. Callinan will have the option to solely fund $150,000 in exploration on those projects in return for a 1.5% NSR royalty (see Golden Shears above). |
Qualified Person
All technical data, as disclosed in this MD&A, has been verified by the Company’s qualified persons Ronald L. Parratt, M.Sc. and Certified Professional Geologist, Richard L. Bedell, M.Sc. and Certified Professional Geologist and Eric M. Struhsacker, M.Sc. and Certified Professional Geologist.
Renaissance Gold Inc.
Renaissance Gold Inc. is a gold/silver exploration company that has a large portfolio of exploration projects in Nevada and Utah. Some of the projects are in exploration earn-in agreements with industry partners who provide exploration funding. RenGold applies the extensive exploration experience and high-end technical skills of its founders and team members to search for and acquire new precious metal exploration projects that are then offered for joint venture.
Renaissance Gold Inc.
By: Richard L. Bedell, President and CEO
For further information, contact:
Richard L. Bedell, 775-337-1545 or rbedell@rengold.com
Eric M. Struhsacker, 775-337-1545 or estruhsacker@rengold.com
This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking” statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although Renaissance Gold Inc. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Renaissance Gold Inc.’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Renaissance Gold Inc. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
Contact
Renaissance Gold Inc.
Richard L. Bedell, 775-337-1545
rbedell@rengold.com
or
Eric M. Struhsacker, 775-337-1545
estruhsacker@rengold.com